Flowing electrolyte battery with electric potential neutralization

Abstract

Flowing electrolyte batteries capable of being selectively neutralized chemically; processes of selectively neutralizing flowing electrolyte batteries chemically; and processes of selectively restoring the electrical potential of flowing electrolyte batteries are disclosed herein.

1. A flowing electrolyte battery, comprising:
 first and second electrodes separated by a membrane; 
 first and second flow valves in fluid communication with the second electrode; 
 an anolyte reservoir, separate from the first and second electrodes, for housing anolyte; and 
 a catholyte reservoir, separate from the first and second electrodes, for housing catholyte; 
 the battery including a normal operating mode and a neutralized operating mode; 
 wherein the first flow valve is an inflow valve to the second electrode with respect to the anolyte and catholyte reservoirs; 
 wherein the second flow valve is an outflow valve from the second electrode with respect to the anolyte and catholyte reservoirs; 
 wherein anolyte flows through the first electrode during both the normal and the neutralized operating modes; 
 wherein in the normal operating mode, the first and second flow valves allow catholyte to flow through the second electrode; and 
 wherein in the neutralized operating mode, the first and second flow valves allow anolyte to flow through the second electrode to chemically neutralize the battery. 
 
     
     
       2. The flowing electrolyte battery of  claim 1 , wherein:
 anolyte flowing between the first and second flow valves is structurally required to pass through the second electrode before returning to the anolyte reservoir; and 
 catholyte flowing between the first and second flow valves is structurally required to pass through the second electrode before returning to the catholyte reservoir. 
 
     
     
       3. The flowing electrolyte battery of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in the normal operating mode, catholyte is structurally required to flow between the catholyte reservoir and the second electrode by a first fluid path through the first flow valve and by a second fluid path through the second flow valve, the first fluid path being different from the second fluid path; and 
 in the neutralized operating mode, anolyte is structurally required to flow between the anolyte reservoir and the second electrode by a third fluid path through the first flow valve and by a fourth fluid path through the second flow valve, the third fluid path being different from the fourth fluid path. 
 
     
     
       4. The flowing electrolyte battery of  claim 1 , wherein:
 anolyte flowing from the second electrode to the anolyte reservoir is structurally required to flow through the second flow valve before flowing through the first flow valve; and 
 catholyte flowing from the second electrode to the catholyte reservoir is structurally required to flow through the second flow valve before flowing through the first flow valve. 
 
     
     
       5. The flowing electrolyte battery of  claim 1 , wherein the battery is configured to trigger the neutralized operating mode in response to a detected neutralization event. 
     
     
       6. The flowing electrolyte battery of  claim 5 , further comprising one or more sensors in data communication with a controller for detecting an abnormal condition representing the detected neutralization event. 
     
     
       7. The flowing electrolyte battery of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first flow valve comprises a first and second sub-valve; 
 the second flow valve comprises a third and fourth sub-valve; 
 the first and third sub-valves are closed and the second and fourth sub-valves are open in the normal operating mode; and 
 the first and third sub-valves are open and the second and fourth sub-valves are closed in the neutralized operating mode. 
 
     
     
       8. A flowing electrolyte battery, comprising:
 first and second electrodes separated by a membrane; 
 a first pump for circulating anolyte; a second pump for circulating catholyte; 
 one or more sensors in data communication with a controller for detecting an abnormal condition representing a detected neutralization event, the neutralization event being selected from the group consisting of abnormal battery voltage, abnormal battery temperature, abnormal battery pressure, battery leakage, a period of non-use of the battery, and a fire in an environment outside of the battery; and 
 at least one flow valve; 
 the battery including a normal operating mode and a neutralized operating mode, the neutralized operating mode triggered in response to the detected neutralization event; 
 wherein anolyte flows through the first electrode during both the normal and the neutralized operating modes; 
 wherein in the normal operating mode, the second pump circulates catholyte through the second electrode; 
 wherein in the neutralized operating mode, the controller triggers the at least one flow valve to allow anolyte to circulate through the second electrode, and the first pump circulates anolyte through the second electrode to chemically neutralize the battery. 
 
     
     
       9. The flowing electrolyte battery of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an anolyte reservoir for housing anolyte; 
 wherein, in the neutralized operating mode, anolyte is structurally required to flow from the second electrode to the anolyte reservoir. 
 
     
     
       10. The flowing electrolyte battery of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a catholyte reservoir for housing catholyte; 
 wherein, in the neutralized operating mode, anolyte is structurally required to flow from the second electrode to the catholyte reservoir. 
 
     
     
       11. A method of operating a flowing electrolyte battery, the battery including first and second electrodes separated by a membrane, first and second flow valves in fluid communication with the second electrode, a catholyte reservoir for housing catholyte, and an anolyte reservoir for housing anolyte, the method comprising the steps of:
 flowing anolyte through the first electrode during both a normal and a neutralized operating mode; 
 in the normal operating mode, flowing catholyte between the catholyte reservoir and the second electrode by a first path through the first flow valve and by a second path through the second flow valve, the first path being different from the second path; and 
 in the neutralized operating mode, flowing anolyte between the anolyte reservoir and the second electrode by a third path through the first flow valve and by a fourth path through the second flow valve, the third path being different from the fourth path. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
 detecting a neutralization event; and 
 triggering the neutralized operating mode from the normal operating mode in response to the detected neutralization event. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of detecting is performed by one or more sensors in data communication with a controller. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
 in the normal operating mode, opening a second and fourth sub-valve and closing a first and third sub-valve to allow catholyte to flow through the second electrode while preventing anolyte from flowing through the second electrode; and 
 in the neutralized operating mode, closing the second and fourth sub-valve and opening the first and third sub-valve to allow anolyte to flow through the second electrode while preventing catholyte from flowing through the second electrode.